Convention Hotels

I have heard an experience a thousand times (in conversation as well as from the platform) of a person who had a talk on the district convention program that did not stay at a hotel on the recommended lodging list. This person was spotted by a fellow conventioner and was asked why he was staying at a hotel that was not on the list and happened to be just across the street from the convention location. His reply was that he has a part on the convention and it would be more convenient for him to stay there than use one of the approved hotels. The story continues that the report gets back to the convention overseer and he tells the chairman to do the offender's talk that day at the convention because the brother failed to follow direction. Anybody else hear this story and can anyone validate its truth or falsehood? Doesn't this sould like it is made up - not unlike the adopted kid story with the "little golden book"?

I didn't hear that story but was told that brothers would stand by those hotel doors and take down the names and congregations of the people who were leaving to go to the convention. Then they passed the names on to the PO of that congregation to help "adjust" the flock. On 2 occasions it turned out that the PO was one of those staying in an unlisted hotel.

Isn't there a committee formed that choose who do the talk? I don't think the Convention Overseer has that power. And I think they'd prefer not to give someone a talk on such short notice at a Convention.

I don't think the Convention Overseer has that power. And I think they'd prefer not to give someone a talk on such short notice at a Convention.

Yes, they do have that power. I attended a certain international convention (55,000 in attendance) and was posted adjacent to the chairman's office for some work in the newsroom. The brother who I got a ride with was the one who would have had to take over and deliver the part if the speaker deviated from the manuscript too far. He sat in a small quiet booth highlighting the words the speaker missed or changed on each manuscript given. If the speaker went too far or twisted the message of the talk he had a protocol all arranged on how to proceed down to the floor past the security points and to the podium. He asked me to occompany him if such an event occured, in order to inform the internal watchmen and so forth what was going on.

I probably could have gotten into trouble years ago. When it was time to eat, instead of going to the cafeteria at the assembly at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, I walked down to the college cafeteria and ate with the nuns. The food was a lot better and cheaper! Ummmm...........

Outaservice (who also drove down the road a little ways so as not to pay the JW's to park) Not that I was cheap, but did not want to support the Society in anything I could get out of.

Daniel: I have never been to a convention where anyone was kicked off the podium, so to speak. Has that ever actually happened? Does anyone else know of any such thing? And if it DOES happen, then it would seem that the convention talks that are disputed or being said to be given w/o WT approval would not actually exist, right? They are all policed to make sure that they have WT approval.

Post I am referring to: Yes, they do have that power. I attended a certain international convention (55,000 in attendance) and was posted adjacent to the chairman's office for some work in the newsroom. The brother who I got a ride with was the one who would have had to take over and deliver the part if the speaker deviated from the manuscript too far. He sat in a small quiet booth highlighting the words the speaker missed or changed on each manuscript given. If the speaker went too far or twisted the message of the talk he had a protocol all arranged on how to proceed down to the floor past the security points and to the podium. He asked me to occompany him if such an event occured, in order to inform the internal watchmen and so forth what was going on

I've never seen anyone removed from the stage either...but I have seen the "checker" reading along and marking his copy of the manuscript.

Back to the hotels...I remember one year when several of the hotels on the "approved" list were substandard. It caused quite a bit of murmuring among those who were staying there. The obedient but upset dubs went to the rooming dept. and complained while the more resourceful and independant dubs who were unhappy about their accomodations acquired rooms in better hotels on their own.

One brother told me that he was just trying to not have a "complaining spirit" and wanted to save the hard working brothers the trouble of having to relocate them when he knew he could do it himself. So what reward did he get for being self-sufficent and uncomplaining? Counseled for not following directions from the WTS on how to handle his rooming arrangements.

I never had that problem because I went to great lengths to find out the hotels on the list before it was announced at our hall (being the hall with the latest in the week service meeting). As soon as I acquired the list, I made my reservations. Technically I was following the list, but was not following the procedure on when to make reservations. I learned the hard way to not wait because everyone else not following the rules already had the best rooms.

Finally, the last year or two of traveling to DCs, I just picked my favorite hotel, damn the list, and stayed in the nicest hotel within walking distance of the coliseum.

Hey, Outaservice! I stayed in South Bend a few years back (was working up the road in Elkhart putting in a system at the old Bayer factory building).

I looked for and found the KH out there, but repented of my idea of actually going there, and went and had Olive Garden instead... Why is that Hall way on the ass end of town? Is it too Catholic toward the town center?

Saw Touchdown Jesus at the stadium and everything! Did the brothers cover him up with a tarp during the convention? (No lie, I have been to get-togethers at "community halls" where the seasonal decorations are covered up so as not to offend "the friends").

Nice little town! Very green and pastoral past the city limits. I imagine Winter is a little cold though.

I recall this incident very well. If it happened in the same city your talking about.

It was in Hamilton Ontario, the Hotel was the Sheraton directly across the street from the staduim. It is factual. The chairperson asked if anyone is staying at a hotel motel not on the Society's List. He said that after morning sessions to meet in such and such a part of the staduim. Here they were reminded of being faithful in big things and little things and the fatihful and discreet slave, and if you can't obey the WTS now, how will you be able to follow instructions with the coming of Armeggadon and the new system of things.

Apprently many were raked over the coals no matter what thier statis was in the organization.

In all the years I was a witness (38) I have never seen or heard of a person being removed from the podium. Maybe it was just a few times this happened. But like I said that is news to me.

If I couldn't stay in the motel across from the stadium I wouldn't go to the convention. Because I was ill and I bet you a ton of money that those who were elderly and infirm and living in Bethel stayed in the rooms across the street from the stadium. I didn't care how much it was if I wanted to go and stay I would. And I wouldn't tell anyone either.

I personally know of a ( elder) freind that did not stay in the reccomended hotel because his wife did not want to and they put him on restrictions for a few months, he could not give any parts or public talks even though he was not removed as an elder and was told to bring his wife in subjection. ( Just like a dog)

I actually have this problem right now. Our foreign language District convention is a short airplane ride away. It's in a very expensive area of the country. We do not want to rent a car in this area, as you often have to pay to park and car rental is high. We want to be near public transportation.

The hotels on the list that are near public transport are (of course) booked for the JW rates. The other hotelsare in places where we would need to rent a car. I tried booking thru a reservation clerk on the phone who searched the entire area, but came up with no JW rates. I booked at a hotel across the street from the JW rateshotel, they share the same free shuttle to public transportation. Our nightly rate is a little higher than the JW rate, but worth it. I thought I should inform the wife what I did, because she will eventually know that other JW's are not staying at our hotel. She requested that I cancel the reservation, she doesn't want to be disobedient.

Now, I refuse to book way out in Timbuktu, so I will reserve a room in the JW hotels, but not at the JW rate, then I will just refuse to tell the wife. End of Story.

Anyone remember the great parking scam? We had to buy parking passes from the Society weeks in advance so we could park in the parking lot at the convention site.

What was interesting to me at the time was that if someone was just an interested person and didn't have a parking pass, they could still park and it was "suggested" that we get them to buy parking passes for the remainder of the days. I immediately thought, well how can they get in without the pass? I figured out that you didn't "need" the pass, they were relying on our obedience to fork over the dough for the pass.

I only bought passes one year that they did that. When I saw that the attendents weren't paying any attention to them as we pulled in, I stopped buying them. Then the convention site moved to a city near where I lived and I knew that coliseum parking lot like the back of my hand. I knew a back way in that was for delivery trucks. After that parking was a breeze in and out and up close to a side door.

It wasn't until years later that I learned of the Tacoma parking scandal that hit the newspapers out there.

I may not actually go in, but I will accompany the wife and stay in the area with her.It is still nice to get away. She would have to get a room anyway, so I am only out on one person's airfare (about $150) to go with her even if I don't attend. If she roomed with another JW, there would be the negative influence of the roommate. Better I forkover some dough than hook her up with a "spiritual pioneer" that could share the room.

Waaay back when they had home cooked meals and an entire food department for soup, hotdogs and the sort. Each congregation was responsible for making sweets and sandwiches that were wrapped up and sold.

My dad scoffed and said if we wanted food, we'd make our own. The food department was eventually done away with, not because of legal liability naturally, but because the brothers were missing so much spiritual food from the prep work.

Such a loving arrangement.

(Oh, and you couldn't turn the tickets back in for cash at the end of the assembly)

For years we always stayed "off the list" because the rooms did not provide a fridge. I feel for the familes who have to pack everything in an ice chest and try to make lunches in a hotel room. We now stay on the list but travel farther because the rooms have a mini -kitchen.

I personally think it is crazy to tell us where to stay and have even looked up the room rates and find 80% of the rooms you are only saving around $10 per room/night.